In Sheep's Clothing
by Lady Azar de Tameran
Summary: One Shot. Everyone knows this story, but sometimes, that's where the legend dies and something else is reborn in its place.


**_In Sheep's Clothing_**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own _The Legend of Zelda _or _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

**Warnings**: Spoilers for _Twilight Princess _and _BtVS_

AN: There aren't enough crossovers for these two.

* * *

Everyone knows this story.

A man with golden hair and a strong sword-hand will save them all. His eyes are blue; though some say grey and one particularly vocal scholar insists they're brown. Everybody agrees on the outfit. Green, naturally. Master Sword at his back. Triforce of Courage in his soul.

This, the truth, isn't at all what any of them were expecting.

Shad feels his mouth drop open the instant he sees her. Auru blinks for a second and then lets out a hearty laugh. Ashei's eyes widened, but then, her look immediately turns assessing. Rusl just sighs, shakes his head, and sips his milk. Telma, he knows, has to be smirking behind her bar. Out of all of them, only she's met the Hero before. She knew, and she didn't tell them. Not even to prepare them for such a disappointment.

The girl – for she couldn't possibly be anything else – is blonde at least. Her clothes are in fact green, and Shad can see edge of a folded hat poking out of a pouch on her belt. Her eyes, he thinks, would be green as well were they not in the dim light of the bar.

That, however, it is. That's where the legend dies and something else is reborn in its place.

She seems pleasant enough in those first few minutes as they stare and then dismiss her entirely. Pretty. Smile easy and almost vapid.

But somehow, a shiver goes down Shad's spine, and he doesn't quite know why.

Telma is all good-humor and saucy winks as she makes introductions. But the conversation stalls immediately after.

Rusl has hunched over his milk and refuses to speak. Ashei rubs her face with one hand and inspects the newcomer from top to bottom. Auru is still laughing.

Shad tries to keep an open-mind. He does. Truly. But she's so tiny, petite. She's certainly no Ashei. No true warrior-maiden. Just a girl playing dress-up in her older brother's clothes. Just a fake. A fraud.

The girl though just keeps smiling. Her voice is stronger than he expects, certainly more woman than child, and it's clear like a bell.

"I'm not what you wanted," she says and immediately targets the giant purple bulbin in the room. "I'd say you expected someone…"

"Taller," Ashei inserts, and that earns her a group stare. She only shrugs. "What? It's true, yeah?"

But there's an unexpected shrewdness to her eyes and her tone. To the way she glances over the girl. To how she gives an approving shake of her head to Telma before the older woman grins and heads back to the bar.

Auru snorts then and finally turns away. Rusl hasn't even looked up. Shad isn't sure what to do.

They haven't told her to go home yet, but Shad thinks it's only a matter of time. They need a warrior. Not a schoolgirl. They need a hero. Not… _this_.

Ashei is the only one looking at the girl now. The only one satisfied with what she's found.

Shad wonders what by the three goddesses above Ashei could possibly see here. There's nothing to see. Just a girl. Just a disappointment.

But the truth comes out in pieces. Scuffed and road-worn boots. Callouses on delicate hands that rest near the tip of a sword. Silvery chainmail peeking out just behind green cloth.

He knows there's something wrong with this picture. Something wrong with the way her eyes survey each of them and then flick to potential exits. With how her back is to the corner and she didn't even let Telma move behind her. With the way her weight is balanced evenly and she doesn't shift from foot to foot.

Suddenly, Shad realizes, she doesn't look anything at all like a girl. Suddenly, her stance isn't that of a hesitant child but a predator waiting to pounce.

Her hair is a golden halo in the candlelight, but her eyes are fierce as they meet his. Her smile is now sharp-edged and deadly like a wolf.

Something is wrong here.

Or maybe something is right.

* * *

AN: I figured if the group didn't think much of Link at first, they'd really scoff at Buffy.

* * *

Ever Hopeful,

_Azar_


End file.
